How come anyone chooses Auru? I think he's the leader of the band, as in that everyone respects him and listens to what he has to say. Right, maybe he doesn't do much in the game, but he's very mysterious, and the little we get to know about him and his past give us the shadow of a very interesting and exciting life. It is suggested (or made sure? I don't remember) that he was very close to the royal family and Zelda. It could even be that when Zant's army slaughtered everyone within the castle he fought his way out, which would prove him a good fighter and a wise man. It would also explain why his little group are the only people that are aware of some evil presence -either that, or the rest of the people in clocktown are a bunch of morons.
From the game we also learn Auru helped in some way the creepy canon guy in the Lake, he saved his life or something equally important, so that such a greedy man owes him one. I'd even think that the canon guy is a bit afraid of Auru, but maybe that's just me -really, when I saw him for the first time i thought he was someone you didn't want to cross.
finally, I would like to point out that Auru is the only one who sees something evil in the desert, something no one else would ever see: in the desert there is nothing really evil (no monster with a piece of mirror), just the occasional bunch of bublins, but nothing you'd go and investigate just especially. I'm quite sure Auru was familiar with the Arbeiters Ground's history, and maybe even had heard of the mirror -a theory that links him back again to the Royal family and Zelda.
Auru is great! be fair, people, give him a chance!